Officials said the rain overwhelmed the sewage system, causing 500,000 gallons of sewage to seep from manholes. Honolulu Ocean Safety posted signs and lifeguards to warn beachgoers to stay out of the water from Point Panic at Kaka’ko Waterfront Park to Kapahulu Groin in Waikiki.
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Crews from the city and the Hawaii State Department of Health were on the scene and collecting samples from the affected areas.
“What you have behind me is a major sewage back up”, said Lori Kahikina, director of the city’s Department of Environmental Services.
Officials say one of the causes, residents opened manholes to prevent their homes and cars from flooding after the storm drains backed up.
City officials are urging residents and visitors to keep out of the water in Waikiki Beach, stating a lot of the contaminated water has escaped into nearby storm drains and into the ocean. But dozens remained on the beaches, and a few still took to the water.
The last time something like this happened was 2006, when more than 48 million gallons of raw sewage was dumped into the Ala Wai, CNN reported.
That spill was triggered when a sewage line ruptured following weeks of heavy rain. In addition, the Big Island is under a Flash Flood Warning until 2 p.m.
A number of roads were closed Monday because of flooding and pooling on the highways, slowing the morning commute as the University of Hawaii began its fall semester.
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The island will experience more rain and high humidity throughout the rest of the week, meteorologists said, prompting more heavy rains, thought the storm is expected to move further away from Hawaii in the coming days.
